NEWS THE VSL-INTRAFOR MAGAZINE• ISSUE ONE-2003

Repairs and strengthening Diversification strategies Mega Tower in Hong Kong FACTS&TRENDS 4 New generation of composite decks 4

Stone columns in Disneyland 5 ts COVER STORY 6 DEVELOPING BY DIVERSIFYING h VSL India: Drawing confidence step by step 9 DISNEY 5 Chile: Footbridges 10 Morocco: Offshore works 10 Hong Kong: Earth walls 11 g Philippines: Formwork 11 Japan: Ductal® 11 SITE INSIGHTS 12 Mexico: Full construction VSL INDIA 9 of the Puente de la Unidad 12 hli Reina Sofia Centro de Arte: a Ductal® first 14 AIRBUS 16 Hong Kong: foundation works on the Spur Line 17 g XXL roof lifting for Airbus in France 18 SPECIAL REPORT 20 REPAIRS & STRENGTHENING hi Far more complex than new construction Upgrading deficient -but occupied- structures, a growing segment of the construction industry. VSL is a leader provider in the US. SYSTEMS 23 Predicting friction for 15 years VSL designed a new generation of mechanical friction dampers. TECH SHOW 24 High-tech foundations for primitive arts A closer look at this highly-prestigious job located in the heart of Paris. PILES IN PARIS 24 NEWS, magazine published by VSL International Ltd. • Scheibenstrasse 70 – Bern, Switzerland and VSL-INTRAFOR • Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France. Director of Publication: Jean-Philippe Trin • [email protected] Editor in chief: Jane Rousseau • [email protected] Co-ordinators: Julie Arnoux, Anne Perez, Carlos Such, Doris Tong, Brian Gallagher. Distribution: Cécile Parmentier • [email protected] Design: Red Line Photos: D. McAllan, R. St. John, B. Strahm, J-B. Vetter, L. Zylberman, other. Copyright: VSL • July 2003 Cover photo: Composite liner to strengthen an aqueduct ISSUE ONE • 2003 EDITORIAL

Advanced technologies with local expertise

We have been continuously improving our products and expanding our technical expertise for more than 40 years. In our post-tensioning activity, we have done this by conducting ambitious and focused R&D programmes in stay-cable systems (SSI 2000), automatic stressing equipment (AMS), high- performance grout (HPI) and anchorages (CS 2000). To enhance our capabilities in foundations, we have developed specific products like destructible joints for deep diaphragm walls, and high-tech friction barrettes implemented with a new cutter in Hong Kong. 3

Our goal is to offer the construction industry a wide and diversified range of advanced technologies throughout our network, relying on local experts who are ready to assist our clients swiftly and efficiently. Our newly created subsidiary in India is a typical example of our diversification strategy. In the space of just four years, we have supplied not only post-tensioning for civil works, but also nuclear applications, building solutions, retained earth and soil anchors as well as precasting and erection services. All the staff is local. Its members have been trained in Singapore, Hong Kong and Europe, and they have the full support of all our specialists. India is on the move and now helping other subsidiaries with new best practices. Our entire network will benefit from these improvements, since at VSL-Intrafor, expertise is a client- oriented value to be shared.

Jean-Philippe Trin FACTS&TRENDS VSL-HPI grouting New generation Spain of composite decks Imaginative

> Composite highway bridge connection, a new detail using decks with steel truss girders and shear studs or keys attached to the slab start post-tensioned precast concrete steel girders was designed. These > In April 2003, CTT Stronghold deck elements have been proposed studs or keys fit into a continuous (VSL in Spain) completed a recently in Switzerland for the recess in the bottom of the precast contract for the design, supply and Dättwil Highway Bridge. The steel deck elements. Once the assembly installation of post-tensioning at truss girders are erected first, then is completed, this recess is filled the new logistics centre of the precast deck elements are with a high-performance grout to Imaginarium, one of Spain's placed on top of the girders. The achieve a monolithic connection largest toy companies. The original segments are post-tensioned between the steel girders and solution for the 5,700-m2 storage longitudinally after the joints precast concrete deck. VSL has area included precast elements between the segments have been been contacted to design and and columns at 6.30-m intervals. sealed with epoxy resin. The first supply such a high-performance CTT’s alternative design time this system was used, inserts grout for prototype testing of this eliminated 70% of the columns in the precast concrete elements connection. Test results are very and increased the span to 12.60 m. were welded to the steel truss promising. ■ Despite the longer span, VSL was girders. To facilitate the Contact: [email protected] still able to reduce the slab thickness to 32 cm at midspan 4 with drop panels of 64 cm. Acieroid, VSL Chile and VSL Iran Argentina, participated in the project. It is the first use in Spain of the bonded 0.5” monostrand Market revival system with plastic sheathing to provide full encapsulation. ■ Contact: [email protected] CS 2000 Now French > Since receiving official French government approval, the compact VSL CS 2000 system has been used in several bridge construction projects in France. They include the Saint-Lô bypass 364 anchors (19T15) and the A29 motorway from Amiens to Neufchâtel: 31 bridges, 1,016 anchors (12T15). Significant savings in transportation, handling > The Iranian construction anchors for two dam projects in and installation of the anchors market is currently enjoying a Iran: the Masjed-e-Soleiman HEP have been observed. VSL France revival, as reflected by the number extension project (approximately will also carry out the post- of projects recently awarded to 200 permanent anchors) and tensioning works on 76 bridges VSL, from ground anchors to the Karkheh HEP dam on the A28 motorway. ■ bearings and joints. Since 2000, (74 temporary anchors). ■ Contact: [email protected] VSL has provided strand ground Contact: [email protected] intrafor.com

NEWS N°1•2003 Monitoring Hong Kong PRESS REVIEW Single-strand Stone Spreading load cell columns in high-tech Disneyland

> In its first stone column project in Hong Kong, Intrafor HK, working in a joint venture, has > Owing to the rapidly growing use successfully completed 100,000 m of the SSI 2000 stay cable system, of stone columns at Penny’s Bay, VSL has now developed a compact the location of the future Disney load cell. The SSI 2000 Hc160 Land HK. The project team monitors the load on a single strand installed 78,000 m3 of stones and within a stay cable. This new delivered 7,500 columns of 1 m equipment fits over any strand and diameter in February 2003, using sits on the anchor head of the stay the dry bottom feed method to a cable between adjacent strands, maximum depth of 19 m. 3 VSL-Intrafor has been featured making it easy to install and replace. Meanwhile, 600,000 m of in several magazines since the Since any variation of the total stay reclaimed sand was compacted beginning of the year. One is the cable force or elongation will cause above the head of the stone Singapore Engineer, a magazine 3 5 a change in the monitored individual columns. Some 42 million m of covering engineering disciplines strand, a single Hc160 load cell reclaimed sand had already been and advanced design and offers an economical way to have a compacted with this method on construction solutions. good indication of the total force in another part of the site. ■ Its 1st issue for 2003 published the stay cable. ■ Contact: jean-christophe.gillard a cover story on the durability Contact: [email protected] @hk.vsl-intrafor.com of post-tensioned concrete structures, in which VSL's R&D project on effective grouting of Repairs post-tensioned tendons is very positively highlighted. VSL was also on the cover of Concrete Refined International in conjunction with the use of the innovative VSLABTM post-tensioning solutions system in the Baltimore > Arnold De Silva Washington International has been appointed Airport Parking Garage Project. Asia Representative An article titled “High-Tech in of Structural Projects” in the French BTP Preservation Magazine describes the Spider project and the Damper Cable Systems in System (DCS) developed by VSL Singapore. While and Jarret for seismic SPS is developing protection. In its second issue VSL in the US, a strong ongoing of 2003, Bridges & Engineering partnership is now leading SPS and shows VSL's new mechanical VSL to launch a repair and friction dampers for cables in a stregthening activity in Asia. Offers feature article stating “Friction include structural health diagnosis, factor, a new generation of concrete repair, strengthening and friction dampers designed to protection against deterioration in address maintenance problems petrochemical plants. ■ with the existing”. Contact: [email protected]

NEWS N°1•2003 COVER STORY Developing by div VSL-Intrafor is growing by developing new capabilities from its core businesses of post-tensioning and deep foundations. This diversification strategy enables the company to better serve its clients while balancing its activities. Here are some illustrations.

VSL India: Drawing confidence step by step VSL India was created in january 1999. Within 4 months, the first contract was the prestressing for the Dabhol LNG Tank. 6 Within 2 years, the company is the leading specialized contractor for post-tensioned buildings. Retained earth projects have also been launched and are growing larger. Activity is diversified and profitable, clients are happy. Muthuganesan Rajamani –just call him Ganesh– comments on this successful strategy.

Muthuganesan Rajamani, VSL India Manager.

VSL India’s growth What did VSL have to cope with every query according to its merit (in million 4) at start? and worked out an economical Turnover VSL entered the Indian market solution which would benefit both 2000 0.20 at our competitors had already VSL and the client. Our basic 2001 0.77 established in India. We had to strategy is that if our client wins we 2002 3.40 cross many hurdles, like getting win. We try to be costwise less 2003 (est.) 4.62 our system approved from various expensive with better technical agencies. We identified the solutions. Securing contracts also obstacles and made a step-by-step depends very much in India on approach in getting our system personal interaction and emotional accepted by our clients, we wanted quotient with the clients. to win over their confidence. How do you interact with clients? What do you believe in about Clients need to feel that I'm able to approaching clients? match the price and that I'm very As a specialized contractor, our keen, responsive, that I show approach was to understand the interest wether I'm going to get the client’s requirement and provide job or not. They give me early Post-tensioning for a residential building at Pune. solutions accordingly. We treated notice. Not only do I execute our

NEWS N°1•2003 versifying job, but also I help them out in A major feature of VSL India is our their own job. It can range from age group: most of our work force getting quotations to arranging is under 40. People sometimes meetings with key people and carry complain that we are too young, out catalogues. but keep in mind that post- I also like to sit and chat with them, tensioning is a specialized work. outside office hours, to exchange Don't look at age, look at what ideas on what is happening, to give they do! Also, for me, marketing is them a glimpse of a few things. done by everyone in the company. Clients also need more orientation Even our drivers can work on site, towards the value added engineering and can speak about what the and execution packages. They often company does! think they can do it but 95% of them end up in trouble. As VSL has How do you encourage new ideas? experienced many clients and jobs, Oh yes, we make good use of we develop packages and we them! Particularly as we are educate our potential clients to backed up by a well-established these new techniques. brand name in the world market of 7 post-tensioning. I believe in How about your own team's knowledge sharing among staff, experience? and on having informal meetings. We have developed multi-skilled More group discussion brings high Post-tensioning for an office complex: teams. Every year, VSL recruits energy into the workplace. Ashoka Janardhan Chambers at Hyderabad. 6 to 10 young and energetic On site we encourage ideas from engineers and has them trained. our engineers and workers. The expat supervisors train the For example in our Dabhol site, a local foreman and supervisors. We supervisor came up with an idea for also conduct periodical appraisal placing the duct and we adopted it ▲ for our engineers and supervisors. and saved a lot in manpower.

VSoL® panels at Kanchipuram

Recently VSL India was awarded with three major projects in the national highway development scheme. Package RC2 is leading these projects giving first ever VSoL® panels in India that are supporting 24.6m ramps for Rail Over Bridge along the stretch of NH46 at Kanchipuram, covering 13,200 sqm of facing area to a height of 11.75m. The structure was designed based on the acceptance of the locally available fill material, seismic condition and full containment crash barrier. ■

NEWS N°1•2003 DEVELOPING BY DIVERSIFYING COVER STORY

"As a consultant, I give a lot of importance to adherance to technical provisions. I need to feel fully confident. I found VSL to follow the books on site Job review meeting. and to be meticulous on that. How do you take advantage of the They are also very prompt to VSL network? By working in various countries, bring in engineers from abroad VSL has gained a lot of experience. VSL India has benefited a lot from to solve some issues. VSL is a this. We have used the reference of the jobs done by other VSL companies. late entry but a leader now in If we have any clarification in our jobs, 8 we approach those profit centers the Indian PT market..." which have done similar work. I also like to bring in a top VSL says Mr Umesh Joshi, specialist from the VSL Technical from Y.S. Sane Associate, a leading consultant Center in Singapore, when necessary. Clients like that kind of in Mumbai for building construction. response, they know I can call in anyone from anywhere!

Madhuban chowk in New Delhi

VSL India has been awarded a contract to supply and fabricate 1040 permanent ground anchors (40 t) for the underpass project in Maduban chowk at New Delhi India. The anchors are proposed to keep the base raft slab of the underpass spanning between diaphragm walls on either sides in positioning against the uplift pressure.VSL has successfully completed the test anchors (performance test, creep test and pull-out test up to 3 times capacity of anchors) as per FIB standards, which was a requirement set for awarding the job. ■

NEWS N°1•2003 Cyber Gateway Phase 2 A & B at Hyderabad

VSL India office in Chennai.

Why did you pick up that activity? Every year I sit and think: how can 9 The first post-tensioning contract construction packages for the I diversify? I did a 6 months survey for buildings for VSL India was engineering contractors. for bearings, our price is in the awarded in the year 2000. Since Currently more than 20 post- middle range, VSL has a good then, the company has provided tensioned building projects are name… So I volunteered to one of designs and executed jobs to the under progress in all the metros my clients for supplying bearings. extent of 45 projects. VSL India of India such as Mumbai, Pune, Development is: Always room for has also provided value added Hyderabad, Bangalore and improvement. Diversification is: cost effective design and Chennai. ■ Let's release one of the client's headaches! ■

You started with post-tensioning for LNG tanks, then for buildings, then for bridges. You are now LNG terminals at Dahej and Hazira, growing fast with VSoL® projects. What will be your next step? Gujarat To produce our own components, After the successful because we usually need 10 weeks completion of the to get them through customs. We post-tensioning are also building a factory for works for 2 LNG bearings, in which we will do our terminals at Dahej, own assemby and testing. Testing VSL India has now secured with can also be provided to our clients. Technigaz a contract We are targeting 5 major contracts for the 3rd LNG for bearings, approximately terminal in India, at 3 million US dollars. Hazira. Since 1999, VSL India now has 7 references for tanks, 2 still is under progress and ahead of schedule. Scope of work included the supply of post-tensioning materials, specialist equipment and all installation work for the post-tensioning tendons. ■

NEWS N°1•2003 DEVELOPING BY DIVERSIFYING COVER STORY

Building up new capabilities to offer a broader range of customer- oriented services through an efficient network of 40 subsidiaries.

FOOTBRIDGES IN CHILE

Route 5, Santiago Talca section. formwork) has been one of the Chile is modernizing the keys of the commercial success. country's highways network. In The construction cycle for tough commercial competition one complete footbridge is with the strong local precast 1.5 months. constructors, VSL in Chile has Since the beginning of this new obtained 3 contracts for full activity, VSL in Chile has construction of the footbridges. constructed 42 footbridges and The construction process has just signed a new contract (post-tensioned steel girder as for 25 more.

OFFSHORE WORKS IN MOROCCO

Laayoun Wharf. The Somagec company, VSL up in September 2003 as regards VSL France's France's Moroccan partner in the “Laayoun Wharf” contribution. VSL France is currently replacing the 10 project, has been signed to a new works contract: the southern slab of the Laayoun Wharf over a length of disassembly and replacement of the pumping 1,750 m, three-fourths of which extends into the sea, platform located at the end of the wharf at a distance removing 330-ton prestressed concrete double of 1,750 m off the coast. This 22-month job will start beams built in 1968.

NEWS N°1•2003 EARTH WALLS IN HONG KONG FORMWORK IN

Castle Peak Road Improvement. THE PHILIPPINES VSL Hong Kong was awarded Phases 1 and 2 to upgrade a C5/Ortigas Avenue Extension winding, two-lane highway along Interchange in Metro Manil. the coast. When the project was For a 696-m long flyover over originally announced early in the existing Ortigas flyover, 2002, it consisted mainly of VSL Philippines, Inc. is bridges to span the wide gaps precasting and supplying below the road. VSL worked with 112 AASHTO precast girders the main contractors to develop and is using the VSL launching an alternative scheme in which VSoL® solutions prooved to be an truss. VSL introduced the the bridges would be replaced by efficient diversification activity main contractor to pre-cast reinforced earth walls wherever for VSL-Intrafor in Hong Kong in planks as a composite deck this was possible. the last few years. slab formwork, offering an alternative to the conventional forming, and received the contract: the pre-casting and installation of 3,864 PC planks including the left turn section of the interchange. Installation is to be completed end of June 2003. On this project, VSL also won its first contract in the Philippines for 1,150 m2 of MSE wall. 11

DUCTAL® IN JAPAN

Sakata Mirai Bridge. A major Japanese precasting company, Maeta, awarded Taisei and VSL Japan the design and construction of the Sakata Mirai Footbridge. Compared to the Ductal® footbridge that VSL built in Korea, which has a single arch span, the Sakata Mirai Footbridge is a single, 51-m-long span with a hollow beam. Prefabricated and Ductal®-FM elements were assembled by external prestressing. This is the first application of the UHP concrete Ductal® in Japan. Because of its special features and added value, this new material represents a major technological leap forward, allowing attractive structures and buildings to be constructed.

NEWS N°1•2003 SITE INSIGHTS

Cable-stayed bridges Full construction of the Puente de la Unidad

> In 2002, the joint venture Groupo this 300-meter-long cable-stayed traffic. The pylon is being erected Garza Ponce–VSL Mexico was bridge across the Santa Catarina over an important highway. Once awarded the contract to construct River at Monterrey Nuevo Leon in the pylon is completed, this highway northern Mexico. VSL Mexico's will pass through it. The deck is scope in the 50-50 joint venture composed of a 185-m-long concrete USA includes project management, transition span receiving two future 12 complete technical and methods access ramps and a 150-m-long VSLAB™ support and part of the production composite (structural steel and Large management. VSL Mexico has also concrete) structure connecting to supplied and installed the 300 t of the north viaduct. Production post-tensioning and the 440 t of peaked 10 months after work stays, using the SSI 2000 system. started on the Puente de la Unidad, The bridge has a single, 60-degree- with 220 workers and 30 staff inclined, post-stressed pylon on the working round-the-clock shifts on south side of the crossing. The five simultaneous fronts: pylon, whole structure is 160 m high. On stays, in-situ transition span, main the north side, 13 pairs of stays span and end span. Completion is support the main deck, which is scheduled for September 2003. ■ designed to carry four lanes of Contact: [email protected] Portugal Free-sliding bearings > VSL recently completed the > VSL provided the innovative launching of the 1,200 t steel VSLAB™ post-tensioning system superstructure on the 600-m-long for the Baltimore Washington Perdigao viaduct near Beira. International (BWI) Airport Parking The steelwork was pulled on special Garage Project (325,000 m2 of free-sliding bearings. Two steel/ parking space). The feature that set concrete decks with 12 spans were it apart from other garages was the built by assembling precast concrete VSLAB™ post-tensioning system, slabs on a pair of previously launched which provides total encapsulation steel girders. VSL Portugal was in of the strands, minimising life- charge of the design and execution cycle maintenance costs. ■ of the launching method. ■ Contact: [email protected] Contact: [email protected]

NEWS N°1•2003 USA NOTE PAD

Columbian bridge - VSL has just Flat plates in completed in June 2003 the Portugal installation of stay cables on the Peldar cable-stayed bridge in latest flats Envigado, Colombia. VSL is also Circular providing 1 600 m2 of retaind earth walls, forms for the inclined pylon, POT-bearings threading and joints, PT bars and post- tensioning, design and supply of > For the LNG tanks project at the steel saddle, and monitoring Sines, VSL was awarded the full for the stay cables. contract for the supply and installation of 1,300 t of post- tensioning strands, using the latest > For this contemporary, state- technologies under very stringent of-the-art apartment facility safety requirements: 80 horizontal located in Arlington, Virginia, VSL circular tensioned tendons (6-22) provided a two-way post-tensioned in four buttresses and 124 vertical slab system with unbonded U-shaped tendons (6-12) with a tendons. A flat plate design was 1-m radius at the bottom. This First VSL-HPI grout mix - selected to avoid column drop required performing special It was used for the first time in the UK panels and maximise floor-to- threading and tensioning on the Medway Bridge. The ceiling clearance. ■ operations from the top. ■ owner had specified a ready- Contact: [email protected] Contact: [email protected] mix grout. VSL offered a 270 t of VSL-HPI mix to grout 26,820 m 13 of tendon ducts.

Chile Extradosed bridge - VSL China was awarded the supply and installation contract for the Chuquicamata: Xiamen Yinghu Bridge, in Fujian ® Province. This is the first extradosed cable-stayed bridge VSoL to extremes in Mainland China.

More Plus® than ever - For the Milano-Bologna PT-rail line, VSL in Italy has been awarded 2 supply contracts for PT-PLUS® corrugated plastic duct. The first order – the largest ever for PT-PLUS® – was for 600,000 m for the 22 km Modena viaduct. The other, for 150,000 m, was for the Po River and Piacenza River bridges.

Above water - In the upgrade project at Waitakere Hospital, near Auckland, New Zealand, the conforming design was a > VSL is constructing two walls loads up to 600 t, under seismic reinforced concrete rib beam in the new crusher at the world's conditions up to 0.3 g at the wall and slab that required largest open-pit copper mine, base and will serve for 25 years. excavation below the water Codelco Chile Chuquicamata VSL designed the wall, supplied table. VSL provided a 300-mm- Division, in northern Chile, at an the materials and supervised the thick flat slab located above the ■ altitude of 2,400 m. One wall is installation. water table. 35 m high! It will support truck Contact: [email protected]

NEWS N°1•2003 SITE INSIGHTS

Spain Reina Sofia: a Ductal® first

> The structure of the new CTT Stronghold (VSL in Spain) was buildings for the Spanish Centro de awarded the contract to supply Arte Reina Sofia project, designed ready-to-use Ductal®-AF. It was by Jean Nouvel and Julio Medem is poured on site inside the 16-m-high steel columns with hollow main structural columns after being Netherlands diaphragms at each floor level, with mixed 30 km away. VSL carried out 32 cm minimal internal diameter, optimisation tests to obtain the right not allowing the positioning of re- rheology for on-site casting by simple 120 strands bars: a classical reinforced concrete gravity, with neither vibration nor solution could not be used. heat treatment needed. This job was in one stay! Ductal®-AF (anti-fire Ductal®) was completed in April 2003. It is the first cast inside the steel tube because of time Ductal® has been cast on site > The cable-stayed bridge over its exceptional mechanical and its first application in Spain. ■ the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal at characteristics and fire resistance. Contact: [email protected] the Papendorpse Polder, near Utrecht, is well over 300 m long and 37 m wide. The main span over the canal is 151 m long. The longitudinal axis of the bridge has 14 a 4 m-wide gap, making it look as if there are two separate bridges. This is not the case, however: the two by two steel longitudinal girders are joined by 1 m-deep cross girders. Due to these impressive dimensions, the steel components of both pylon and bridge deck were welded into the largest possible parts and then ferried by pontoon to the construction site, where they were placed in position by crane or floating derricks. The pylon base stands on a concrete footing, pile- driven underneath, and is connected to it by 87 (Ø36mm - FeP1230) pre-stressed rods. The two pendulums in the western land abutment, which absorb the vertical reaction of the bridge deck, are also connected to the foundations by rods of this kind. The deck, supported by the cables, consists of four parts (52 m-long and 37 m-wide) with a weight of more than 200 tonnes each. The strongest cable supporting the deck is made up of 120 strands, setting a new record for the VSL system. ■ Contact: [email protected]

NEWS N°1•2003 Egypt Czech Republic Two-way Preparing for champions > The new Sazka Stadium in tensioning Prague, where the 2004 World Ice Hockey Championship will be held, has to be built fast. The contract was awarded to Skanska CZ Co. Post-tensioning was used in both parts, the big arena and the small arena, due to the complicated layout and large spans. VSL supplied and installed approx.100 tonnes of post-tensioning. ■ Contact: [email protected] > Two tanks are being constructed in the Damietta LNG Tank project at a liquefaction plant Stays in China in the Damietta free zone in northern Egypt. VSL is supplying the materials for the vertical and Strand-by-strand horizontal post-tensioning of the 800-mm-thick concrete walls as cable replacement well as the equipment and 15 technical assistance for the > Damage was caused to four stay To control the force transfer during installation of the post-tensioning. cables on the Ching Chau Min Jian the cable replacement, VSL used Completion in November 2003. ■ cable-stayed bridge in Fuzhou, the strand by strand replacement Contact: [email protected] P.R.C, due to the collision of a barge technique. Some installed strands close to the main span during a were replaced one by one with typhoon. VSL checked four stay temporary longer strands. Then the Germany cables, carried out by a lift-off test other strands were de-tensioned on each strand. One 300 m-long and removed. Finally a new stay stay was to be replaced. Since there cable was installed. The whole was no longer a construction crane operation took only two weeks. ■ at the site, all VSL's equipment for Contact: yves.bournand@vsl- the operation had to be lightweight. intrafor.com

Dubai Bridge shift Skywalk lift > The road bridge over the > “Yet another jewel in Dubai’s Meglitze River near Schwedt, at crown” read a headline in the Gulf the Polish-German border, is News on the day after this being replaced. To minimise the spectacular lift. Dubbed the disruption of the border traffic, the longest footbridge in the world, 680-ton steel truss of the old it now links the two towers of the bridge was shifted 12 m onto Marriott Executive Apartments at previously built abutments parallel the 19th floor and houses the to the bridge axis. VSL Germany Skywalk Café. This 280-t section conducted all the operations. was lifted 60 m in less than a day Traffic interruption across the river and joined to two cantilevers, was only three days. ■ forming a total span of 73 m. ■ Contact: [email protected] Contact: [email protected]

NEWS N°1•2003 SITE INSIGHTS

Hong Kong Giant Climbform for Pacific Forum

> On the 38-storey Pacific Forum development project in Wanchai, VSL-Intrafor is supplying and installing 360 t of post-tensioning for the floors as well as renting and Thailand supervising a VSL Climbform for the core wall. The PT floors, mainly one-way flat slabs spanning up to Superlift in 16.0 m, are typically 350 mm thick, 35.00 m x 15.90 m.The VSL with 4.0 m x 4.0 m x 500 mm drop Climbform was chosen due to the Bangkok! panels and 500-mm-deep partial local support, quick response to perimeter band beams. The large queries, short lead time and the > The main terminal building at amount of pre-stressing required unique flexibility of the Climbform, Thailand’s new international the use of the S6-5 flat slab which allows modifications to the airport consists of approximately tendons for the first time in Hong system to allow for dimensional 38,000 t of steel, which is to be Kong. The Climbform for the core changes in the core wall while manufactured and erected in only wall, the biggest Climbform ever, construction is in progress.■ 16 months. The eight primary roof has the outer dimensions of the Contact: [email protected] 16 elements are 210 m-long “super core shaft and consists of five cells, intrafor.com trusses” weighing about 1,600 t each. VSL provided engineering assistance and influenced the China erection schemes from the design phase. It was awarded the contract for the supply and operation of the First launching girders special heavy-lifting systems for the tight construction schedule, lots the lifting and placement of over 1 and 3 are to be constructed with 23,000 t of the permanent precast segmental concrete decks structure. In addition, VSL formed erected with the span-by-span a joint venture with a local method using launching girders, for manufacturer to supply the 800 t of the first time in Shanghai. For Lot 1, tension rods (20 mm to 72 mm in VSL will supply an underslung diameter) and fittings for the roof launching girder to erect the elements. This contract is believed approach ramps, and for Lot 3, to be one of the largest supply > Phase 2 of the Humin Road six casting cells and two overhead contracts of its type in the world. ■ Project includes a viaduct in launching girders. ■ Contact: [email protected] downtown Shanghai. Because of Contact: [email protected]

Australia the anchors, including a 6-55 one, from the fabrication area to the Floating workface, along the Latrobe River. As main contractor, VSL’s scope of work included installing strand anchors anchors, increasing the size of the concrete piers, concrete and rock > For the Lake Narracan drilling and upgrading pedestrian Upgrade Project site in Victoria, access on structure. ■ VSL developed a system to float Contact: [email protected]

NEWS N°1•2003 NOTE PAD

Taste for the forest - For the Moorebank Ave Interchange on the M5 Motorway in Sydney, VSL-Intrafor supplied Hong Kong 2 permanent VSoL® wall structures and offered a full range of architectural facing D-Walls, piles and decks elements. The client selected a forest finish, a design used extensively on earlier sections on the Spur Line of the M5 East project. > The Spur Line is part of the For LCC300 with the Balfour First segmental bridge - East Rail extension in Hong Kong Beatty/Lam JV as main contractor, VSL constructed the Creve Coeur linking the Sheung Shui station to the contract is for the construction Lake Memorial Bridge near the Chinese border. The Kowloon of 326 large-diameter bored piles St.Louis: this cast-in-place Canton Railway Corporation for the Lok Ma Chau Terminus. segmental bridge, constructed (KCRC) has divided this project into Piles are of various diameters by the balanced cantilever three major contracts: the tunnel (1.2 m, 1.8 m, 2.1 m and 2.4 m) and method with form travelers, and station (LDB201), the viaduct will be founded into rock at around represents the first major (LCC202), and the terminus 35 m below ground level. Completion concrete segmental bridge (LCC300). VSL-Intrafor Hong Kong is planned for December 2003. project of the Missouri DOT. is working on all three contracts, On the East Rail Extension of the providing post-tensioning, erection Lok Ma Chau Spur Line, for LCC202, Crossing the Yangtze - The stay 17 and foundation works. For LDB201, VSL will construct an elevated cables for the North Channel Dragages (main contractor), a precast twin-deck segmental Bridge, part of the Runyang diaphragm walling at the Kwu Tung viaduct with 91 spans (35 m to 45 m Yangtze River Crossing linking station is under construction using long) for the main contractor, Yangzhou to Zhenjiang, China, Intrafor’s BC40 cutter and is Maeda. Total deck length is are in a semi-harp fan expected to finish in early August approximately 3,500 m. Scope of arrangement. They were installed 2003. Installation of other diaphragm works includes segment handling using the VSL stay-cable strand- walls, grouting, jet grouting and and on-site transportation, erection, by-strand method, whith a total sheet piling will continue until supply and installation of post- of 720 t of non-galvanised, early 2004. Ground freezing for tensioning, bearings and joints. ■ greased, 15.2mmØ strand. cross passages is expected to be Contact: [email protected] carried out in year 2005. intrafor.com PIP piles - Intrafor HK is designing and constructing the foundation for the extension of the Toi Shan School in Ma On Singapore Shan, using 50 PIP (Packed-In- Place) piles, 610 mm in diameter and 40 m deep. The PIP method Incremental flyover is suitable to low-rise buildings and is almost the only recognised flyovers were to be constructed over and approved friction pile an existing expressway, the method in Hong Kong. incrementally launched method (ILM) was adopted so as not to interfere Slabs for distribution - VSL in with or endanger with expressway Australia has started work on the traffic. VSL’s scope included the second distribution facility at the design of all the temporary works, Austrak Business Park, near > The Land Transport Authority preparation of the casting yard, Melbourne, Victoria: 36,000 m2 (LTA) of Singapore undertook the casting the segments, launching, warehouse with 160 mm-thick construction of two twin flyovers at post-tensioning, bridge bearings slabs and 15,000 m2 of 210 mm- the Tampines Expressway (TPE)/ and expansion joints. Completion in thick post-tensioned external Sengkang East Road Interchange and September 2003. ■ pavement slabs. TPE/Sengkang East Drive. Since the Contact: [email protected]

NEWS N°1•2003 SITE INSIGHTS

France XXL roof for upcoming Airbus > Early 2003, VSL France block to reach a culminating VSL France utilized a total of 18 successfully carried out the height of 46 m. The client's main 28 SLU 330 jacks (330-350 t each), spectacular lifting of the roof on requirement was to hoist the roof 16 hydraulic pumps and a remote- the S70 assembly workshop for the at a rate of 2 m/hour with constant controlled system plus a Bravo upcoming Airbus jumbo jet model deflection, while respecting an lifting control system featuring A380. This 250-m long, 115-m elevation offset tolerance (to displacement sensors at every wide structure with a weight of remain less than 50 mm). lifting point (16). ■ 7,500 t was assembled on the Lifting could thereby be driven by Contact: [email protected] ground and raised as a single an automated program. intrafor.com

France Difficult ground for high-profile project

> After ten years, Intrafor has material. The two sets of returned to the “Cité anchoring rods that tie the Internationale” complex in Lyon diaphragm wall also necessitate with two new contracts: support considerable technical competence, structures for the parking garages as the second set is to be carried for a planned 3,000-seat out in the presence of a high water auditorium and additional office load, by making use of an airlock. space. The architect for this high- In addition, the project entails profile project is Renzo Piano. installing a studded shotcrete wall The two excavations are enclosed on one side along with the set-up by anchored diaphragm walls. and nearly 3-year monitoring of Capitalizing on their experience in a pumping system to allow this area, Intrafor teams are well lowering the water table inside aware of the unstable and highly- the enclosure. ■ difficult ground conditions: Rhone Contact: [email protected] River alluvia, coarse clastic intrafor.com

NEWS N°1•2003 France NOTE PAD

1,000 anchors Tight frame - VSL in Chile has been awarded the construction of a 7 km-long viaduct, for the in the river metro of Santiago project, > In March 2003, Intrafor has roto-percussion tools with including the supply of executed 965 permanent anchors diameters of between 120 and 3 launching girders, framework, on a sheet pile curtain within the 146 mm using both a sunken tool post-tensioning and bearings, to be delivered in Sept. 2004. soil of the Var River, near Saint- and a tube embedded into the Laurent-du-Var. The soil composed grouting. An average hourly rate Piles on fast track - For the of coarse alluvia, sands and of one 16-m anchor bored and ■ high-speed rail link Paris- boulders becomes unstable when installed was achieved. Strasbourg, Intrafor in a Contact: christophe.allemoz fr.vsl- employing conventional boring @ consortium is driving 276 piles methods. This necessitated special intrafor.com associated with 9 civil engineering structures: 4,100 m of boring, amounting to Ireland 2,600 m3 of concrete for piles reaching depths of 25 m.

Dublin Port Tunnel Highest wall - At the Collahuasi Copper mine in the desert near the border to Bolivia, VSL in delivered Chile is building a 2,400m2 VSoL® wall at a record-breaking altitude: 4,500 m. 19

Jet Grouting columns - Floodings in northern France in the winter 2002 have led to modify a series of locks over the coming years. Intrafor has widened an initial lock at Saint- Valery-sur-Somme and built a screen using the "Jet Grouting" technique to shore-up and water-tighten a dockwall. > The Dublin Port Tunnel prior to constructing the concrete Flexible screen - In Mauritius, provided the opportunity for the structure. These 16 m-long piles are the Midlands dam has now been Intrafor/Mowlem-Piling anchored into the bedrock. flooded. For this dam, Intrafor consortium to execute the entire Additionally, a soil nailed wall constructed a 30,000-m2 series of special foundation work (0 to 12 m-high, 850 m-long) diaphragm wall: a flexible as part of a major European provides for the provisional support concrete screen to a depth of infrastructure project. Over of the black clays slopes. The studs 14 metres, anchored to the rock. 50,000 m2 of diaphragm walls have (8 to 11 m-long) are drilled with air- been completed (1,200 to 1,500 mm percussion with a daily rate higher Airlock boring - Due to a leak wall thickness). A work crew of fifty than 200 linear meters: i.e more under the foundation raft of a and no less than four D-wall than 100 m2 of shotcrete are caisson for the immersed tunnel excavation grabs and one cutter sprayed at the same time. Also underneath the Warnow River in assembly were mobilized 56 high-capacity (2,445-kN) rock Rostock, Germany, caused by simultaneously, and three slurry anchors were placed at the toe of damage to the temporary joint treatment plants were used. In the wall and 210 units of rock bolts during installation, Intrafor grouted continuity with the diaphragm were drilled into the underlying the raft under very low pressure walls, a series of tangent piles rock. These works were performed (120 kPa) using a low number 1,200 mm in diameter over a linear inside the TBM returning shaft. ■ of borings of small diameter distance of 55 m were stayed Contact: [email protected] (56 mm) and a sealed airlock. throughout the preliminary phase intrafor.com

NEWS N°1•2002 REPAIRS & STRENGTHENING SPECIAL REPORT

Repairs & Strengthening Silo upgrade (case 4)

20 Far more complex than Upgrading deficient - Structural strengthening is the process of upgrading the structural system of an existing but occupied- structure to improve performance under existing loading or increase structures is a the strength of the existing structural components to carry challenging and additional loads. A challenging aspect to this process is that growing segment of Case 1 External post-tensioning of athletic arena the construction VSL strengthened a university athletic facility utilizing a unique application Existing Post-Tensioning of post-tensioning that provided a structurally elegant and Anchor Head with industry. In the Grout Cap aesthetically pleasing resolution. United States, VSL is The strengthening solution consisted of 4 hoops of a leading provider of 15.2 mm-10 strand, external multistrand tendons. Each hoop has tendons 3" D Steel Pipe with structural that were anchored and stressed at 11.25 Degree Bend 90-degree intervals circumferentially Stressing Bracket strengthening around the dome. The tendons were for Tendon Loop 1 fully encapsulated in high- Additional Cover Plate solutions. performance, co-extruded HDPE (or shaped assembly) ducts and grouted to ensure long- 25 Existing Tendons and lasting durability. Brackets Removed

Existing Column

NEWS N°1•2003 deficient structures are occupied as external or internal post- Additional support and functioning, therefore, the tensioning systems, span strengthening systems must be shortening, externally bonded Span shortening is accomplished tailored to serve the intended use steel, fiber reinforced polymer by installing additional supports of the structure without interfering composites (FRP), section underneath existing members to with its occupants or function. enlargement, or a combination reduce the span length. To achieve As a result of the higher load of these techniques. this, structural steel members and demands, existing structures may cast-in-place reinforced concrete need to be reassessed and may External force members are used. Connections require strengthening to meet can be easily designed using bolts heavier service loads. Structural External post-tensioning and adhesive anchors. Span strengthening may also become techniques utilized by VSL have shortening method may result in necessary due to code changes, been effectively used to increase loss of space, and headroom may seismic upgrade, deficiencies that the flexural and shear capacity of be reduced. develop due to environmental both reinforced and prestressed effects such as corrosion, changes concrete members. With this type Bonded composites in use that increase service loads, of upgrading, active external or deficiencies within the structure forces are applied to the structural Fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) caused by errors in design or member by means of post- systems are paper-thin fabric construction. The structural tensioned steel cables or rods to sheets that are bonded to concrete upgrade of concrete structures can resist new loads. Due to the members with epoxy adhesive to be achieved using one of many minimal additional weight of the significantly increase their load different upgrading methods such repair system, this technique is carrying capacity. Usually carbon- new construction… 21

effective and economical, and has been employed with great success to correct excessive deflections and cracking in beams and slabs, parking structures and cantilevered members. The post-tensioning forces are delivered by means of standard prestressing tendons or high- Case 2 Composite liner used to upgrade PCCP strength steel bars, usually located Case 3 Composites and external post- A 2.6-m prestressed concrete water main outside the original section. The tensioning to increase building capacity pipe in Rhode Island, USA, blew out, VSL provided a strengthening solution for a releasing 70 million liters of water. tendons are connected to the commercial office building through the Lightweight carbon fiber material, was used structure at anchor points, application of external post-tensioning and to strengthen the aqueduct. typically located at the ends of the carbon fiber reinforcing systems. The in-situ composite lining system created member. End-anchors can be VSL used an external post-tensioning an FRP pipe within the deteriorated pipe made of steel fixtures bolted to the strengthening system to increase a building's sections capable alone of resisting all floor capacity by producing opposing forces internal and external loads. The solution was structural member or using to the slab, a solution that posed the least the fastest, least disruptive, and most reinforced concrete blocks that are disturbance to the structures and resulted economical. The FRP liner was designed to cast in place. The desired uplift in minimal additional weight: banded tendons carry a factored design pressure of force is provided by changing the in the North-South direction and uniform approximately 1.31-MPa (190-psi). profile of the post-tensioning tendons in the East-West direction. Specially designed steel deviators were installed on element using deviation blocks, the slab and the columns that were used to fastened at the high or low points provide the necessary profile for the tendons. of the structural element. Prior to In addition, where necessary, externally stressing, all existing cracks are bonded carbon fiber reinforcement was used epoxy-injected and spalls patched, to supplement reinforcement needs. to ensure that prestressing forces are distributed uniformly across the section of the member.

NEWS N°1•2003 REPAIRS & STRENGTHENING SPECIAL REPORT

Far more complex than new construction…

based, these systems can be used or built-up members. Steel methods), aesthetics (architectural), to increase the shear and flexural elements attached to the sides or and economics each play a role. capacity of beams, slabs, and bottom of a structural member Many opportunities exist for joists and can be used to increase can improve its shear or flexural engineers, contractors, and the shear and axial load capacity of strength. A jacket made of steel material suppliers who can work columns. An important plates can increase the shear and together to supply their characteristic of FRPs for axial capacity of columns. The perspectives to an upgrade structural repair applications is exposed steel elements must be project. This explains the trend of their non-corrosive properties, protected with a suitable system design/build-type teams for speed and ease of installation, immediately following installation. delivering cost-effective solutions lower cost, and aesthetics. Regardless of the corrosion to owners. It should be recognized protection system specified, its that strengthening assessment Bonded steel elements long-term durability properties and design is far more complex and maintenance requirements than new construction. The degree In this method, steel elements are must be fully considered. to which the upgrade system and mechanically (anchors) or the existing structural elements chemically (glued) to the concrete Enlarged section share the loads must be evaluated surface to achieve composite and properly addressed in the behavior. The steel elements can This method of strengthening upgrade design, detailing, and be steel plates, channels, angles, involves the placement of additional implementation methods. ■ “bonded” reinforced concrete to an existing structural member in the 22 form of an overlay or a jacket. With section enlargement, columns, beams, slabs, and walls can be enlarged to increase their load-carrying capacity or stiffness. Enlargement as thin as 50-70 mm for slabs, and 75-125 mm for beams and columns can be used to increase the capacity of the structural members. Best solution?

Structural strengthening is a Case 4 Innovative cement silo upgrade “scientific art form” with conventional Case 5 Post-tensioning Upgrade VSL achieved an innovative and cost-effective cement-based materials, as well of Structural Beams solution for the upgrade of six cement Concrete encased external post-tensioning storage silos in Boston, Mass. with FRP rods. as new techniques and materials. was effectively used to increase the flexural The use of near-surface mounted FRP rods A variety of expertise including and shear capacity of the structural beams supplemented the existing steel, and offered technical (engineering), in a casino parking structure. Due to a the durability benefits of the FRP composites constructability (construction change in loading conditions, the girder was while maintaining constructability and cost- found to be deficient in flexure and shear. efficiency. T-headed Bars Deviation of the standard prestressing strand The rods were mounted was achieved by utilizing four transverse in both the vertical and beams adjoining to the beam from both sides FRP circumferential Composites at approximately one third the span from directions. Fiber optic each end. The cables were bundled together sensors were attached between the adjoining beams and were to the FRP rods prior splayed toward the ends of the beam. to installation and used to monitor strains in the composite bars while loading the silo. Over 16,000 meters of FRP rod was installed. Cross Head RC Block

NEWS N°1•2003 SYSTEMS

Cable dampers development

On Udevalla Bridge. The VSL friction damper: no unnecessary activation, low maintenance cost, designed for existing bridges, easy inspection, adjustable on site, constant damping whatever temperature Promising or frequency of vibrations, better aesthetics. friction for 15 years Installation of dampers at bridge deck level For aesthetic reasons, the damper is generally placed near the on stay cables is the most common counter- anchorage. The vibration amplitude at the damper point of the cable is measure for improving the structural then not more than 1 mm or 2 mm. Any play or flexibility in the unit would lead to a loss of the damping of cables and reducing vibration. efficiency. Some damper designs are not compatible with these VSL designed a new generation of mechanical small cable amplitudes and have to be placed at a greater distance friction dampers to address maintenance from the anchorage. The new damper works in any direction of 23 problems with the existing products. cable motion. At small amplitudes of cable movement, the friction Until recently the most common pairs that are rigidly fixed to the parts are designed to stick and solution was to install hydraulic or bridge structure. Four soft friction hence prevent the damper from viscous dampers on the stay cables. “partner” components which are coming into play. Dampers are The aesthetic aspects of these types pressed against the hard friction adjusted so that they begin sliding of dampers, the way they react on partners are held by the spring as soon as a predefined amplitude temprerature and the frequency on blade rings. When the cable is reached. cable vibration could however be vibrates, friction force and damping open to criticism. All these dampers reactions are produced between the Long term performance has been may be subject to small, non-critical soft and the hard friction partners, assessed: a total of 120 VSL vibrations and they will very quickly to counteract the cable movement. friction dampers have been have to support a high level of The flexibility of the spring blade installed on the stay cables of the cycles. Consequently they may rings allows the soft friction Uddevalla Bridge (Sweden ) in experience rapid deterioration and partners to follow the longitudinal 2000. After two years of service, require frequent maintenance movement of the cable. 25% of the dampers were

operations. With Professor I. Kovacs, VSL's vibration test equipment investigated to check their who first developed the concept for under EMPA validation. conditions. During this period of cables, VSL is now introducing a two years, since the opening of the second generation of these friction bridge to the car traffic, the bridge dampers for use on suspended has been subjected to varying wind structures. speeds and no cable vibration has been observed. This maintenance The damper connects a specified operation confirmed the ease with point of the cable with the bridge which each element of the unit structure and it consists of 2 parts. could be examined and replaced, The first is a steel collar that is if necessary. The performance rigidly fixed to the cable and moves that was measured after the first as the cable moves. This collar is two years has lead to a predicted equipped with 4 hard friction period of more than 15 years “partner” components. The second before replacement of the friction part is two spring blade half-ring partners would be required. ■

NEWS N°1•2003 D-WALLS & BARRETTES SPECIAL REPORT

Mega Tower project in Hong Kong Highest of technology for highest building As a member of the contracted joint venture, Intrafor has participated in building the renowned Union Square Mega Tower, a prestigious skyscraper among the highest in the world. A unique and challenging foundation job. The daily rate of 3 In 2007, Hong Kong's Mega Tower the architect Kohn Pederson Fox, 135 m of excavated will rise 480 meters above the inlet with Sun Hung Kai Properties of the sea that separates the city of Limited acting as the developer: this volume required Kowloon from Hong Kong Island. venture represents the seventh and 24 • 2 hydrofraises This structure has been designed by last component within the overall • 1 BC 40 cutter Kowloon Station Airport Railway project. Intrafor, as part of the • 3 bentonite recycling plants selected consortium, was awarded • 1 bentonite mixing plant the contract for foundation work • 1 slurry mixing plant with a total budget allocation of • 1 wastewater treatment plant 650 million Hong Kong dollars. • 3 handling cranes The works program started up in January 2002 and was forecasted • 4 cable-operated grabs to run through May 2003. • 6 to 12 lightweight drilling rigs • 2 SM 400 drilling rigs Tough rocks • 1 grouting unit for cracking the “Manchettes” The contract schedule called for • 3 grouting stations completion of the foundation work • 32 grouting hose reels. by May 2003 in acknowledgement of two major constraints typical of Hong Kong building conditions: diaphragm wall in combination with speed of construction and respect floating friction barrettes that lie for the environment. As opposed to flush with the rock; the "shaft the competing solutions that entail grouting" technique has been boring large-diameter piles adopted to enhance the anchored into the rock (a method performance of these units. No less very commonly encountered in than 40,000 m of soil investigation Hong Kong) or the use of driven boreholes and 5 test barrettes H-piles, the solution proposed by loaded up to 4,500 t (i.e. 2.5 times the joint venture consisted of a the working load) were carried out, in conjunction with the monitoring of adjoining structures and The joint venture mobilized no less than 130 staff in order to provide 400,000 man-hours buildings including real-time data on the worksite, including the preparation and recovery, in order to prepare for the prefabrication zones. actual works.

NEWS N°1•2003 287 Shaft Grouted Barrettes 2,800 x 1,500 2,800 x 1,000 Trail Barrettes Ø76m Circular D.Wall D.Wall Panel Perimeter Slurry Wall = 10,000 m2 Five test barrettes loaded up to 4,500 tons (i.e. 2.5 times the working load) by means of a 575-m3 of steel, in order to validate the Along the project enhanced load-bearing capacity of the barrettes. property line, retaining wall for the future 3 1,000 m -panels / 12 hrs excavation has been carried out The works performed included a using a plastic circular wall 1.5 m thick and 75 m in bentonite/cement diameter, along with 240 barrettes. slurry wall 0.8 m-thick, 287 Shaft Grouted Barrettes 2,800 x 1,500 The circular wall will serve for the excavated to a depth of 2,800 x 1,000 Trail Barrettes excavation of a 25-m deep basement. 30 m and incorporating a Ø76m Circular D.Wall The overall capacity of the 76-m sheet pile curtain lowered to a D.Wall Panel Perimeter Slurry Wall deep diaphragm wall has to be 20 m depth. In addition 50 barrettes = 10,000 m2 enhanced using the shaft grouting in volume outside the circular wall technique given that it’s a load will provide the foundations for the It thus proved necessary to set a bearing element. surrounding platform used to total of 130,000 m3 of concrete The 240 Barrettes (87 with a cross- accommodate the Mega Tower's within a very short time frame of sectional area of 2800 x 1500 and adjoining garden and facilities. 11 months and, even more 143 of 2800 x 1000) were excavated constraining, using just a 6,500 m2 to an average depth of 83 m and a work platform with little maximum depth of 104 m. The Testing/controls maneuverability, engendering a 25 concrete has been poured up to 24 m implemented high risk of work stoppage. Among below ground level and topped with the measures adopted to incorporate before and after the works lean concrete. The load-bearing these conditions, a series guide capacity of these units, enhanced by • 40,000 slump tests conducted walls were included in the working the shaft grouting, gets cumulated with a 99.9% success rate platform and fitted with a cover with the capacity of the diaphragm • 128,000 m of KODEN excavation capable of resisting the loads of wall in order to support the building. profiles to establish excavation heavy equipment, making it possible An 8 m-thick foundation raft geometry prior to concreting to avoid traffic encumbrance in (35,000 m3), supported by the • 150,000 m of sonic testing between two successive foundation barrettes and embedded into the • 400 confirmations, via core operations. The supply networks diaphragm wall, serves to ensure sampling, that the bottom had handling water, air, bentonite, the transmission and distribution been accurately located electricity and slurry were under- of loads. • 2 pumping tests grounded beforehand and routed between the various structures. An extremely haphazard substratum featuring • 4 full scale static load tests, semi-vertical dips and extending to depths of on the working barrettes. TCR>50% or better A truck every 3 mn over 105 meters. North

-45.0 Material storage and equipment 50.0 - 45.0 stowage on the platform was -50.0 55.0 - 50.0 forbidden. Other design features -55.0 included: subassemblies repaired 60.0 - 55.0 -60.0 off site, packing lists prepared in 65.0 - 60.0 -65.0 advance to allow for instantaneous 70.0 - 65.0 unloading, prefabrication work -70.0 75.0 - 70.0 performed outside, compactness -75.0 of the bentonite and slurry mixing 80.0 - 75.0 -80.0 and recycling plants reengineered 85.0 - 80.0 -85.0 and optimized. These measures 90.0 - 85.0 -90.0 enabled, under appropriate safety conditions, attaining 100,000 truck

-95.0 95.0 - 90.0 entrances/exits on the platform, 100.0 - 95.0 -100.0 at a pace of 40 per hour. ■

-105.0 105.0 - 100.0 1 5 S1 9 S5 S9 13 17 21 S13 S17 25 NEWS N°1•2003 S21 29 S25 33 37 S29 S33 S37 TECH SHOW

The Museum of Primitive Arts in Paris High-tech foundations for primitive arts

26

VSL-Intrafor has recently completed the deep foundation works for the new Museum of Primitive Arts in Paris. This showcase project isis designeddesigned byby JeanJean NouvelNouvel whowho isis alsoalso overseeing project construction. The works are taking place along the Seine River, just steps from the Eiffel Tower. Excavation of a barrette: 1 Over its underground portion, the museum project has necessitated the installation of diaphragm walls and deep foundations within a building context particularly sensitive to environmental issues.

Bored pile, performed 2 under bentonite. Intrafor installed 29 pre-bored H-columns piles.

27 Alain Saleh, supervisor and Laurent Cayet, site manager

Application of temporary 3 guide casing for the pre-bored H column.

NEWS N°1•2003 THE MUSEUM OF PRIMITIVE ARTS IN PARIS TECH SHOW

28 Welding of the reinforcement 4 cage on the H column.

Placement of the pre-bored 6 H column into the excavation.

NEWS N°1•2003 The pre-bored H column and its 5 reinforcement cage is lifted prior to installation in the excavation filled with fresh concrete.

The noise-nuisance generated by the worksite 8 is measured and limited according to very strict regulations, in conjonction with real-time measurement data-transmission.

Installation of 7 the pre-bored H column in fresh 29 concrete.

NEWS N°1•2003 THE MUSEUM OF PRIMITIVE ARTS IN PARIS TECH SHOW

KEEPING THE DECIBELS LOW Level measurement 9 during installation of the H column in fresh The foundation job for Paris's new concrete. Museum of Primitive Arts was split into two distinct contracts. The first set of works comprised 18,000 m2 of diaphragm wall (116 panels in all), Museum's permanent ground floor 70 piles, 30 anchors and 12,000 m3 slab. This structure has been cast of excavation. The second contract, on a series of 29 pre-bored metallic in which Intrafor has been piles and sits atop the diaphragm subcontracted to stabilize both the wall built as part of the scope of diaphragm wall and the excavations, works for the first contract. was concluded in July; these works The other foundation elements entailed setting up anchors consist of 86 piles and 14 bored on the Seine River side as well barrettes, all performed from an as a girder on the side along intermediate platform located at a the rue de l'Université. depth of 4 m below street level. Pile This effort has encompassed diameters vary between 0.6 m and the installation of 140 foundations, 1.5 m, while barrette thickness including 29 pre-bored H-columns, ranges from 0.62 m to 1.02 m. 86 piles, 14 barrettes and Foundation works have been 76 temporary anchors. completed since March. Delivery of The Northern retaining wall is held the subgrade excavation and avoid any risk of degradation to in place by two tiers of anchors acceptance of both the piles and adjacent buildings. An automated (56) applied at 1.30 m and 3.10 m barettes took place during July. and permanent noise/vibration from the top of the wall, and with a Each component of this overall monitoring system was installed at 30 load-bearing capacity of 470 kN. works program has been subjected several locations throughout the Laying the girder designed to resist to a strict inspection of noise site, in conjunction with real-time diaphragm wall horizontal thrust emissions and vibrations in order to measurement data transmission. during the temporary phase minimize the noise nuisance This system triggers an alarm necessitated constructing, as of the generated by the worksite for whenever site-produced noise excavation phase, a portion of the neighboring residents as well as to exceeds established thresholds. ■

Diaphragm wall and pre-bored H columns 10 for support of the future slab. A portion of the Museum’s ground floor has been cast on the bored piles and sits atop the diaphragm wall.

NEWS N°1•2003 HEADQUARTERS www.vsl-intrafor.com VSL International Ltd. Scheibenstrasse 70 – Bern JOINING FORCES FOR YOUR PROJECTS CH-3014 – Switzerland Phone: +41 32 613 30 30 Fax: +41 32 613 30 55 VSL–INTRAFOR LOCATIONS

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ARGENTINA AUSTRIA NORWAY BRUNEI THAILAND VSL Sistemas Especiales de Grund-Pfahl- und Sonderbau GmbH VSL Norge A/S VSL Systems (B) Sdn. Bhd. VSL (Thailand) Co. Ltd. Construcción Argentina SA Industriestrasse 27a STAVANGER BRUNEI DARUSSALAM BANGKOK BUENOS AIRES AT-2325 Himberg bei Wien Phone :+47 - 51 52 50 20 Phone: +673 - 2 - 380 153 / 381 827 Phone: +66 - 2 - 237 32 88 / 89 / 90 Phone: +54 - 11 - 4393 - 28 07 Phone: +43 - 2235 87 777 Fax : +47 - 51 56 27 21 Fax: +673 - 2 - 381 954 Fax: +66 - 2 - 238 24 48 Fax: +54 - 11 - 4326 - 26 50 Fax: +43 - 2235 86 561 POLAND HONG KONG VIETNAM CHILE BELGIUM VSL Polska Sp. z o.o. VSL Hong Kong Ltd. VSL Vietnam Ltd. VSL Sistemas Especiales de N.V. Procedes VSL SA WARSAW WANCHAI HANOI Construcción S.A. BERCHEM Phone: +48 - 22 817 84 22 Phone: +852 - 2590 22 88 Phone: +84 - 4 - 8245 488 SANTIAGO Phone: +32 3 230 36 34 Fax: +48 - 22 817 83 59 Fax: +852 - 2590 95 93 Fax: +84 - 4 - 8245 717 Phone: +56 - 2 - 233 10 81 Fax: +32 3 230 89 65 Fax: +56 - 2 - 233 67 39 PORTUGAL Intrafor (Hong Kong branch) Ho Chi Minh City CZECH REPUBLIC VSL Sistemas Portugal Pre-Esforço, WANCHAI Phone: +84 - 8 - 8258 144 MEXICO VSL Systemy (CZ), s. r. o. Equipamento e Montages S.A. Phone: +852 - 2836 31 12 Fax: +84 - 8 - 9102 596 VSL Corporation Mexico S.A de C.V PRAGUE S. DOMINGO DE RANA Fax: +852 - 2591 61 39 MEXICO Phone: +420 - 2 - 67 07 24 20 Phone: +351 - 21 - 445 83 10 Phone: +52 - 55 - 5 - 396 86 21 Fax: +420 - 2 - 67 07 24 06 Fax: +351 - 21 - 444 63 77 INDIA Fax: +52 - 55 - 5 - 396 84 88 VSL India PVT Ltd. FRANCE SPAIN CHENNAI Australia/Pacific UNITED STATES VSL FRANCE S.A. CTT Stronghold Phone: +91 - 44 5214 56 78 VStructural LLC ST-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES BARCELONA Fax: +91 - 44 2433 99 02 AUSTRALIA - Queensland BALTIMORE, MD Phone: +33 - 1 - 39 44 85 85 Phone: +34 - 93 - 289 23 30 INDONESIA VSL Prestressing (Aust.) Pty. Ltd. Phone: +1 - 410 - 850 - 7000 Fax: +33 - 1 - 39 44 85 86 Fax: +34 - 93 - 289 23 31 GEEBUNG Fax: +1 - 410 - 850 - 4111 PT VSL Indonesia Intrafor S.A. VSL-SPAM, S.A. JAKARTA Phone: +61 - 7 - 326 564 00 ST-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES BARCELONA Phone: +62 - 21 - 570 07 86 Fax: +61 - 7 - 326 575 34 Phone: +33 - 1 - 39 44 85 85 Phone: +34 - 93 - 289 23 30 Fax: +62 - 21 - 573 12 17 AUSTRALIA - New South Wales Fax: +33 - 1 - 39 44 85 86 Fax: +34 - 93 - 289 23 31 JAPAN VSL Prestressing (Aust.) Pty. Ltd. Middle East GERMANY SWEDEN VSL Japan Corporation THORNLEIGH VSL Systems GmbH Internordisk Spännarmering AB TOKYO Phone: +61 - 2 - 948 459 44 Fax: +61 - 2 - 987 538 94 UNITED ARAB EMIRATES BERLIN SOLNA Phone: +81 - 3 - 3346 - 8913 VSL Middle East Office Phone: +49 30 53 01 35 32 Phone: +46 - 8 - 504 37 200 Fax: +81 - 3 - 3345 - 9153 AUSTRALIA - Southern Division Fax: +49 30 53 01 35 34 Fax: +46 - 8 - 753 49 73 DUBAI KOREA VSL Prestressing (Aust.) Pty. Ltd. Phone: +971 - 4 - 282 08 03 GREAT BRITAIN SWITZERLAND VSL Korea Co. Ltd. NOBLE PARK Fax: +971 - 4 - 282 94 41 VSL Systems (UK) Ltd. VSL (Switzerland) Ltd. SEOUL Phone: +61 - 3 - 979 503 66 CAMBRIDGESHIRE SUBINGEN Phone: +82 - 2 - 553 8200 Fax: +61 - 3 - 979 505 47 Phone: +44 (0) 1480 404 401 Phone: +41 - 32 613 30 30 Fax: +82 - 2 - 553 8255 GUAM Fax: +44 (0) 1480 404 402 Fax: +41 - 32 613 30 15 MAINLAND CHINA Structural Technologies Inc. Africa Intrafor (UK) VSL (Suisse) SA VSL Engineering Corp., Ltd. TUMON BRACKNELL PENTHAZ HEFEI Phone: +1 - 671 - 646 8010 Phone: +44 - 1 - 344 742 115 Phone: +41 21 862 80 00 Phone: +86 - 551 - 557 6008 Fax: +1 - 671 - 646 8060 SOUTH AFRICA Fax: +44 - 1 - 344 742 146 Fax: +41 21 862 80 02 Fax: +86 - 551 - 557 6018 VSL Systems (South Africa) Pty. Ltd. Kya Sand, RANDBURG GREECE VSL Engineering Corporation Ltd. Phone: +27 - 11 - 708 21 00 VSL Systems A/E Shanghai Branch Co. Fax: +27 - 11 - 708 21 20 ATHENS SHANGHAI Phone: +30 - 1 - 0363 84 53 Phone: +86 - 21 - 6475 4206 Fax: +30 - 1 - 0360 95 43 Fax: +86 - 21 - 6475 4255 NETHERLANDS MALAYSIA VSL Benelux B.V. VSL Engineers (M) Sdn. Bhd. AT LEIDEN KUALA LUMPUR Phone: +31 - 71 - 576 89 00 Phone: +603 - 7981 47 42 Fax: +31 - 71 - 572 08 86 Fax: +603 - 7981 84 22 Intrafor (Netherlands) PHILIPPINES AC LEIDERDORP VSL Philippines Inc. Phone: +31 - 71 - 581 70 22 MANDALUYONG CITY Fax: +31 - 71 - 581 70 21 Phone: +632 638 76 86 Fax: +632 638 76 91 SINGAPORE VSL Singapore Pte. Ltd. SINGAPORE Phone: +65 - 6559 12 22 Fax: +65 - 6257 77 51 TAIWAN VSL Taiwan Ltd. TAIPEI Phone: +886 - 2 - 2759 6819 Fax: +886 - 2 - 2759 6821 Your post- tensioning

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Papendorpse Bridge - Netherlands

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• Diaphragm walls John-Paul II Bridge - Poland • Special construction methods

Manhattan Heights - Hong Kong • Grouting

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• Vibroflotation Pakse Bridge - Laos

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